Live view on laptop

[shirley386]

I've got a Nikon D40 but I want to be able to connect my camera to a laptop and see the image as I try to adjust the focus. I don't think my D40 will allow that. What kind of upgrade am I looking at to be able to do that?

 

[Misled]

I don't think you can use the usb to do that, but it does have a video out. You could get a usb video adapter and plug it into that.

 

[MeuserReef]

I believe "Live View" requires a secondary mirror inside of the camera body, which the D40 does not have. You would need at least a D3000 (I think) to be able to use Live view. I dont speak Canon, so Im not sure what their entry level Live View model is.

Ive found the Live View / Manual focusing combo to work well when taking pictures of my tank with my D90. You can zoom into the live view image pretty far, which helps get the focus set correctly.

 

[Misled]

But couldn't you lock up the mirror, get it in focus, release the mirror and then take the shot?

 

[MeuserReef]

But couldn't you lock up the mirror, get it in focus, release the mirror and then take the shot?

I think Live View and Mirror Lock Up are completely seperate functions. Unless the camera body is made for Live View, I dont think its possible to "see" on the LCD what the sensor is "seeing" with the D40. I belive you have to have a body that is made with the "Live View" feature.

Im not positive, but I think Live View involves another mirror that the D40 simply does not have. I could be wrong, though

 

[shirley386]

Yeah, looking around today I found that you need a camera with Live View (D90 or D300) and software called Nikon Camera Control Pro to do that. Too much for me.

 

[MeuserReef]

Good luck!

 

[BlueCorn]

I believe "Live View" requires a secondary mirror inside of the camera body, which the D40 does not have.

Nope. No extra mirror but the camera has to support live view.

Basically, they just open the shutter and regulate the brightness in software. That's why there's slightly more shutter lag when you're in live view. The shutter has to close before it can reopen to grab the frame.

 

[Misled]

Doug, would it be possible to do it with the mirror lock? Not the one for cleaning, but I guess I should say shutter lock.

 

[BlueCorn]

Doug, would it be possible to do it with the mirror lock? Not the one for cleaning, but I guess I should say shutter lock.

No, because the camera has to have software for it built in to simulate the exposure by controlling the sensor gain.